CURRAN IS ARCHER TARGET NOW
I don’t blame Anthony Joshua for settling on Miller. It is not the fight the boxing priesthood wanted, but with Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder otherwise engaged, it makes sense.
Despite what Fury and Wilder (right) might think, Joshua is the heavyweight business.
He is set to earn a reported £19million on his American debut while enriching Miller to the tune of £4.5m.
The kid has hit the jackpot. Neither Fury nor Wilder would get close to generating those kind of numbers if they were taking on Miller.
When Fury went out and about in LA to do his impromptu vox pop he could barely find a soul who had heard of Wilder. Miller is even more anonymous, yet is banking millions.
Rolling out Joshua to the American market at Madison Square Garden is exactly the right move.
He doesn’t have to fight in America ENGLAND have set the hares running for World Cup squad selection with just five games to go in the Windies before the final 15 are selected.
And for pace bowlers like Tom Curran, the pressure is on to have a big series to to make the big bucks. He can do that by staying at home.
Fighting in the States is about recognition, prestige and legacy.
If I were managing him I would do exactly the same thing. Miller, despite the noises he is making about forcing an upset, is a low-risk introduction to the American market.
In the week of the fight Joshua will be filling the New York papers and appearing on TV shows. And America will love him in the flesh.
The big showdown with Fury or Wilder will come soon enough, if either manage to get over themselves regarding the purse split.
Talk of 50/50 does not recognise the market reality. Joshua holds three of the four major titles. Yes, he would earn more fighting the winner of Fury/Wilder II than he would against any other opponent. And vice versa. The difference is Joshua would still earn big no matter who he shares a ring with. The same cannot be said of Fury and Wilder.
Joshua still has improving to do, which is why he has not rushed into a date with Wilder or Fury at any cost. The longer he leaves it the better he will get. Maybe they know that too.
■ Follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone @McGuigans_Gym @CyclonePromo keep stalking horse Jofra Archer on the sidelines.
Just like Curran (right) at the Sydney Sixers, Archer has been lighting up the Big Bash in Australia and qualifies for England selection at the end of next month. “Everybody is excited – it’s going to be amazing to have the World Cup on home soil and you want to be part of it,” said Curran. “The Big Bash was great and I loved it. Hopefully I can put in some good performances here and get in that World Cup squad.”